Hair curler



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Patented Dec. 20,* 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR CURLER John M.Beer, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 28, 1947, Serial No. 724,752

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hair-curlers which are heated by electricresistance elements.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a hair-curlingdevice with means by which a hair-retaining solution can be injectedinto the curled lock of hair.

It is another object of the invention to provide a hair-curling andvapor-applying device which has a valve forming a part of the tube onwhich the hair is curled and retained, and operable by axial adjustmentof the tube.

According to the invention, a container is filled with absorbent wool,such as asbestos or copper wool, and with a solution which is to beinjected into the hair. The container has electric heating elementsextended into one end thereof for the purpose of vaporizing the solutionto be applied to the hair. The opposite end of the container has a plugwith a central opening through which extends a tube, the tube havingvalve holes normally aligned with the plug but adapted, as the tube isthrust inwardly, to depart from the plug to receive vapors producedwithin the container. A handle of heatinsulating material surrounds thecontainer. The tube is perforated on its forward end and has a wireclamp by which a lock of hair which has been rolled up upon the tubeover the perforation will be retained in place. On the tube adjacent tothe handle is a plastic turningr wheel by which the tube is rotated atthe time the lock of hair is curled thereupon. Once the lock of hair hasbeen retained on the tube it is covered with a protector cap so thatvapors will be kept from the scalp. Between the turning-wheel and theend of the handle is a spring which normally maintains the tube so thatits valve openings are closed by the plug. A ring on the tube keeps thetube from being ejected from the plug by the spring. This ring, as thetube is forced outwardly, engages with the inner face of the plugthereby to retain the tube. When vapors are to be directed to the hair,the tube is forced inwardly to expose the valve openings to the heatedvapor within the container.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View takenthrough the container and handle and showing the tube in full linesentering the container.

Figure 2 is a side-elevational view of the protector cap.

Figure 3 is an end view of the cap.

Referring now to the figures, I0 is an elongated container having a plugII in its open end through which is extended a hollow tube I2. Theopposite end of the container has an opening for receiving a conductingcable I3 from which extend heating elements I4 and I5. Surrounding theseelements within the tube is a filling I6 of absorbent material, such asasbestos and copper wool, adapted to contain and absorb thehair-treating solution to be vaporized.

Surrounding the container I0 is a handle sleeve I1 receiving the cableI3 at one end and fixed to the container at the opposite end by aninternally threaded cap I8.

The tube I2 has valve openings 2| adapted to be normally covered by theplug II. In the opposite end of the tube, there are providedperforations IB through which vapor is forced when the tube I2 is movedaxially inwardly, to expose the valve openings 2l to the vapors withinthe container I0. On the tube I2 is a turning wheel 23 of plastic, whichcan be rotated by the thumb of the user to curl up a lock of hair uponthe tube. A spring device 24 will retain the curled lock of hair uponthe tube. A plastic plug 25 closes the outer end of the tube i2. Whenthe hair has been nally curled upon the tube I2, a protector cap 26,Figs. 2 and 3, is slid over the curled hair. In the cap is a taperedslit 2'I through which the end of the hair-lock, adjacent to the head,is received as the cap is slid over the lock of hair. This cap willprotect the scalp from the heated vapors. When once in place the tube I2may be thrust into the container to expose the valve openings 2I toallow them to receive the vapors of the hair-treating solution. Theinward movement of the tube is against the action of a coiled spring 26surrounding the tube between the turning-wheel 23 and the cap I8. Vaporwill leave the perforations I9 and enter the lock of hair. When the hairhas been suiciently supplied with the vapor, the tube is released and isreturned by the spring to a position where the valve openings 2| areagain closed by the plug II. The lock of hair is then removed and then asecond lock of hair may be similarly treated.

Having now described my invention, I claim l. A hair curling device,comprising a tubular container open at one end and adapted to holdabsorbent material saturated with hair curling solution to be vaporized,an electrical heating element arranged within the container forVaporizing the solution, a plug secured within the open end of thecontainer and having a bore, a tubular member slidably mounted withinthe bore and extending axially outwardly beyond the plug and having itsends closed and adapted to be shifted axially in the bore, one endportion only of the tubular member projecting into the container, thetubular member being provided outwardly of the plug with perforationsand in its portion dis-- posed within the bore of the plug with valveapertures, a knob mounted upon the tubular member outwardly of the plugand forming a stop to limit the inward shifting of the tubular member, aspring arranged between the knob and plug to bias the tubular memberaxially outwardly so that the valve apertures remain 'normally coveredby the bore, and resilient means carried by the tubular member adjacentthe perforations to clamp the hair to the tubular member, the memberbeing shiftable axially inwardly to uncover the valve apertures vforadmitting vapor into the tubular member to curl the hair. 4

2. -A hair curling device, comprising a tubular container having ends,one end being provided with an axial bore, the container being adaptedto hold material containing hair curling solution to be vapor'izedwithin the container, an electrical heating element arranged within thecontainer for heating and vaporizing the solution, an elongated tubularmember slidably mounted withinthe bore and extending axially outwardlyof the adjacent end of the container, the tubular member having closedends and being adapted to shift axially in the bore, the inner endportion only of the tubular lmember projecting inwardly 'of Sii 4 theend having the bore, the tubular member being provided outwardly of thecontainer with perforations and at its portion normally covered by thebore with valve apertures, a coil spring surrounding the tubular memberand operatively connected to said member and end having the bore andserving to maintain the tubular member axially outwardly so that thevalve apertures are covered by the bore, a leaf spring mounted upon thetubular member adjacent to the perforations for clamping the hair to themember, and detachable means surrounding the tubular member adjacent tothe perforations for protecting the scalp from Contact with the vapor,the tubular member being shiftable inwardly to uncover the Valveapertures for admitting vapor into the member.

J OI-IN M. BEER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in 'the nie ofthis patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,831 Harrington Dec. 13,4188'? 1,204,987 Jacobs OV. "14. 1916 1,524,721 Sartory Feb. 3, 19251,596,844 MacDonald Aug. '17, 19126 1,604,165 Hubbell Oct. 26, 19261,609,683 Graham Deb. '7, 1926 1,638,896 Van Dijk Allg. 16, 1927 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 639,089 France June 13, l1928

